Energy delivery devices and methods

Abstract

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

1 . A catheter for use with a power supply, the catheter comprising: 
 an elongate sheath having a near end, a far end adapted for insertion into the body, and having a flexibility to accommodate navigation through tortuous anatomy, the sheath having a passageway extending therethrough, the passageway having a lubricious layer extending from at least a portion of the near end to the far end of the sheath;    a flexible elongate shaft slidably located within the passageway and having an outer shaft surface, where the shaft is coupled to at least one energy transfer element that is adapted to apply energy to the body lumen;    a connector for coupling the energy transfer element to the power supply; and    where contact between the outer shaft surface and the lubricious layer results in reduced friction allowing relatively low force advancement of a distal end of the shaft out of the far end of the sheath to advance the energy transfer element.    
   
   
       2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle located at a near end of the sheath, and where the sheath comprises a length sufficient to access a bronchial passageway of at least 3 mm in diameter when inserted through a respiratory opening of a patient.  
   
   
       3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the elongate sheath comprises a second material exterior to the lubricious layer, the second material being different from the lubricious layer.  
   
   
       4 . The catheter of  claim 3 , where the second material comprises a higher modulus of elasticity than the lubricious layer.  
   
   
       5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the energy transfer elements comprise a plurality of legs forming an expandable basket structure located towards a distal end of the shaft, and such that when the legs deflect outward the basket expands to a maximum diameter.  
   
   
       6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , where the legs have a pre-defined shape, such that when the legs deflect they assume the pre-defined shape.  
   
   
       7 . The catheter of  claim 5 , where the legs each comprise a distal end and a proximal end, where the leg distal ends are secured together and the leg proximal ends are secured to the shaft.  
   
   
       8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , further comprising a near alignment component and a far alignment component, each alignment component having a plurality of channels spaced evenly around the alignment components, and where each proximal end of the leg is nested in one channel of the near alignment component and each distal end of the leg is nested in one channel of the far alignment component.  
   
   
       9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , where the far alignment component includes a distal stop and the near alignment component includes a proximal stop, such that the distal end of at least one of the legs contacts the distal stop and the proximal end of the same leg contacts the proximal stop to control a flexure length of each leg.  
   
   
       10 . The catheter of  claim 5 , further comprising an electrically conductive member electrically coupling the at least one energy transfer element to the connector.  
   
   
       11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , where the conductive member comprises a wire.  
   
   
       12 . The catheter of  claim 11 , where the wire comprises a first diameter and tapers to a second diameter, where the taper provides the catheter with increased flexibility towards basket.  
   
   
       13 . The catheter of  claim 11 , where the wire is coated with a lubricious polymer.  
   
   
       14 . The catheter of  claim 10 , where the conductive member is affixed relative to the near end of the sheath and a distal end of the basket structure, and where a proximal end of the basket structure is attached to the shaft, such that sufficient advancement of the shaft causes the proximal end of the basket structure to move relative to the distal end of the basket structure resulting in expansion of the basket.  
   
   
       15 . The catheter of  claim 10 , where the conductive member comprises a helically wound coil wire.  
   
   
       16 . The catheter of  claim 5 , further comprising a temperature detecting element located adjacent to one of the energy transfer elements.  
   
   
       17 . The catheter of  claim 16 , where the temperature detecting element is placed on at least one leg on an interior surface of the leg.  
   
   
       18 . The catheter of  claim 17 , where the temperature detecting element comprises a thermocouple having a first and second leads, where each lead of the thermocouple is separately attached the leg such that the leg forms part of the thermocouple.  
   
   
       19 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the elongate shaft further includes at least one protrusion on the outer surface of the elongate shaft, where the protrusion separates and reduces surface contact between the outer surface of the elongate shaft and the lubricious layer of the passageway.  
   
   
       20 . The catheter of  claim 19 , where the at least one protrusion comprises a plurality of protrusions.  
   
   
       21 . The catheter of  claim 19 , where the protrusion extends along a length of the elongate shaft.  
   
   
       22 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the outer shaft surface is corrugated.  
   
   
       23 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the elongate sheath further includes at least one spacer in the passageway, where the spacer reduces surface contact between the outer surface of the elongate shaft and the lubricious layer of the passageway.  
   
   
       24 . The catheter of  claim 23 , where the at least one spacer comprises a plurality of protrusions.  
   
   
       25 . The catheter of  claim 23 , where the spacer extends along a length of the passageway.  
   
   
       26 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the lubricious layer is corrugated.  
   
   
       27 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the elongate shaft comprises at least one lumen.  
   
   
       28 . The catheter of  claim 27 , where the elongate shaft comprises a plurality of lumens where each lumen is symmetric about a central axis of the elongate shaft.  
   
   
       29 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid delivery port terminating at the far end of the sheath, where the fluid delivery port is adapted to be coupled to a supply of fluid.  
   
   
       30 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a suction port terminating at the far end of the sheath.  
   
   
       31 . The catheter of  claim 1 , where the energy transfer element is selected from the group consisting of a resistive heating element or a radio frequency electrode.  
   
   
       32 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a junction located between a distal end of the elongate shaft and a proximal end of the energy transfer elements, the junction having a greater degree of flexibility than a remainder of the shaft such that misalignment between the energy transfer elements causes bending at the junction prior to deformation of the energy transfer elements.  
   
   
       33 .- 71 . (canceled)